Highest Paid Athletes

The highest paid athletes come from many sports. From golf to basketball to boxing, professional athletes are among the highest paid people in the world. Professional athletes not only earn a healthy salary from playing their sport, they also earn millions of dollars through endorsements.

Tiger Woods Tiger Woods ranks in at the highest paid athlete in 2010, making over 90 million dollars. Woods, a famous golfer, earned 20 million dollars for playing golf and 70 million dollars in endorsements.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. This boxing professional earned $60 million from competing as well as $250,000 in endorsements, making him one of the highest paid athletes in 2010. He is currently undefeated and has won nine championships worldwide.

LeBron James Miami Heat’s LeBron James is also one of the highest paid athletes. Between his salary and endorsements, James grossed over 45 million dollars last year.

Phil Mickelson Another golf player makes the list of the highest paid athletes. Mickelson earned almost 10 million dollars by playing golf and an astonishing 52 million from endorsements, bringing his total earned in 2010 to almost 62 million.

Peyton Manning Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning earned 15.8 million dollars playing for this football team. He was also paid 15 million dollars in endorsements. Manning holds the record for receiving four NFL MVP awards, more than any other football player has ever earned.

Shaquille O’Neal Earning 36 million dollars from his salary and endorsements, O’Neal is one of sport’s highest paid basketball players. O'Neal is one of the largest basketball players in the NBA. He stands at 7'1" and weighs approximately 325 pounds.

Alex Rodriquez This MLB baseball player plays for the New York Yankees and makes the list by earning 37 million dollars last year. He earned 33 million from playing baseball and another 4 million from endorsements.

Derek Jeter Derek Jeter plays for the New York Yankees and makes the list by earning 31 million dollars in 2010. NBL paid him 21 million to play and through his endorsements he earned another $10 million.

Kobe Bryant NBA star Kobe Bryant plays for the Los Angeles Lakers and makes the list by earning over 33 million dollars in 2010. Bryant has played with the Lakers for years and helped them win three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002.

Dwyane Wade Another basketball star for Miami Heat earned 27 million dollars in 2010. Of this amount, 12 million was earned through endorsements. In 2006, Wade was named Sportman of the Year by "Sports Illustrated."